Measurement device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a surveying instrument ( 20 ), comprising a surveying instrument main unit ( 21 ) which projects a measuring light to an object to be measured and measures a position based on a reflection light from the object to be measured and an operation device ( 67 ) which is removably attached on the surveying instrument main unit, wherein the surveying instrument main unit comprises a distance measuring unit ( 54 ) and ( 55 ) for emitting the measuring light and for measuring a distance, an image pickup unit ( 51 ) and ( 53 ) for acquiring an image, a reflection mirror ( 45 ) rotatably mounted and used for directing the measuring light toward the object to be measured, for directing the reflected light from the object to be measured toward a light receiving unit, and for directing the image in a projecting direction toward the image pickup unit, a detecting means ( 31 ) for detecting a rotating position of the reflection mirror, and a control unit ( 74 ) for controlling at least the distance measuring unit, the image pickup unit and the rotating position of the reflection mirror, and wherein the operation device comprises a display unit for displaying the image acquired by the image pickup unit.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a surveying instrument capable ofmeasuring a distance to a point of measurement target and of acquiringan image.

BACK GROUND ART

As a device for automatically measuring a position of a measurementtarget, an automatic surveying instrument has been known in the past,which comprises an automated total station comprising a distancemeasuring unit.

Referring to FIG. 7, description will be given below on a conventionaltype automatic surveying instrument.

A base unit 2 is disposed on a leveling unit 1. A frame unit 4 ismounted on the base unit 2 via a horizontal rotation shaft 3 so that itcan be rotated in a horizontal direction. A body tube 6 is mounted onthe frame unit 4 via a vertical rotation shaft 5 so that it can berotated in a vertical direction.

A horizontal rotation gear 7 is mounted on the horizontal rotation shaft3, and a horizontal rotating motor 8 is mounted on the base unit 2. Ahorizontal rotating driving gear 9 is engaged on an output shaft of thehorizontal rotating motor 8, and the horizontal rotating driving gear 9is engaged with the horizontal rotating gear 7. A horizontal angledetecting encoder 11 is provided between the horizontal rotation shaft 3and the base unit 2.

The frame unit 4 is rotated in a horizontal direction by the horizontalrotating motor 8 via the horizontal rotating driving gear 9 and thehorizontal rotating gear 7. A rotation angle is detected by thehorizontal angle detecting encoder 11.

A vertical rotating gear 12 is engaged on the vertical rotation shaft 5.A vertical rotating motor 13 is mounted on the frame unit 4. A verticalrotating driving gear 14 is mounted on an output shaft of the verticalrotating motor 13, and the vertical rotating driving gear 14 is engagedwith the vertical rotating gear 12. A vertical angle detecting encoder15 is provided between the vertical rotation shaft 5 and the frame unit4.

The body tube 6 is rotated in a vertical direction by the verticalrotating motor 13, and an angle in a vertical direction is detected bythe vertical angle detecting encoder 15.

In the body tube 6, there are provided a collimating telescope 16, adistance measuring unit (not shown), and a tracking means for tracking aprism reflector (an object to be measured) installed on a measurementtarget. In the frame unit 4, there are provided a tilt sensor (notshown) for detecting tilt, the horizontal rotating motor 8, the verticalrotating motor 13, a control unit (not shown) for driving andcontrolling the distance measuring unit (not shown), an operation unitfor operating the surveying instrument, a display unit (not shown) fordisplaying operating conditions, measurement results, etc., and abattery (not shown) for supplying electric power to the control unit,the horizontal rotating motor 8, and the vertical rotating motor 13.

In the conventional type surveying instrument as described above, as aconstruction for acquiring an image data in a collimating direction, animage sensor (not shown) is mounted on an ocular element of acollimating telescope 16 of the body tube 6 so that an image obtainedthrough the collimating telescope 16 is outputted as an electric signalby the image sensor.

While monitoring a signal from the horizontal angle detecting encoder11, the control unit drives the horizontal rotating motor 8 and rotatesthe frame unit 4 in a horizontal direction. While monitoring a signalfrom the vertical angle detecting encoder 15, it drives the verticalrotating motor 13 and rotates the body tube in a vertical direction. Thecollimating telescope 16 is collimated in a predetermined direction. Adistance to the object to be measured is measured, or a data of an imagearound the measurement taget is acquired.

In recent years, there have been growing demands on the needs for theimage data in association with the distance measuring data. Forinstance, the distance measuring data is displayed together with theimage of the measuring point in order that the measuring point can bevisually identified. Further, not only the image of the measuring pointbut also the image around the measuring point is often required. Inaddition, there are also demands on the needs for the distance measuringdata using the image data as positional data by making the acquisitionof the image data as the primary purpose.

The conventional type automatic surveying instrument basically performsmeasurement by accurately collimating the measurement target. The imagedata obtained by the conventional type automatic surveying instrument isacquired through the collimating telescope 16. It is the image within avery limited range including the measurement target, and it is asecondary data relating to the measuring point.

Further, the conventional type automatic surveying instrument performssurveying operation by collimating the measuring point one by one, andit is difficult to acquire the data by quickly changing the measuringpoint. When the measuring point is changed, it is impossible tocontinuously acquire the image during the process of change.

The continuous image data is often required when a bird's eye view imageis to be prepared. In such case, the automatic surveying instrument mustbe installed at a position higher than the ground surface. In theconventional type, the data necessary for operating the automaticsurveying instrument such as measuring condition, data acquiringcondition, etc. must be directly inputted to the surveying instrument.The surveying operator must go up each time to a point where theautomatic surveying instrument is installed, and it has beeninconvenience.

Under the above circumstances, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a surveying instrument, by which it is possible to acquirecontinuous image data in wider range and which has high maneuverabilityand good working efficiency.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a surveying instrument, comprising asurveying instrument main unit which projects a measuring light to anobject to be measured and measures a position based on a reflectionlight from the object to be measured and an operation device which isremovably attached on the surveying instrument main unit, wherein thesurveying instrument main unit comprises a distance measuring unit foremitting the measuring light and for measuring a distance, an imagepickup unit for acquiring an image, a reflection mirror rotatablymounted and used for directing the measuring light toward the object tobe measured, for directing the reflected light from the object to bemeasured toward a light receiving unit, and for directing the image in aprojecting direction toward the image pickup unit, a detecting means fordetecting a rotating position of the reflection mirror, and a controlunit for controlling at least the distance measuring unit, the imagepickup unit and the rotating position of the reflection mirror, andwherein the operation device comprises a display unit for displaying theimage acquired by the image pickup unit. Also, the present inventionprovides the surveying instrument as described above, wherein there isprovided a leveling unit for adjusting tilt and for setting thesurveying instrument main unit to a horizontal or a vertical position,and the operation device comprises operation switches for operating theleveling unit. Further, the present invention provides the surveyinginstrument as described above, wherein radio communication can beperformed between the surveying instrument main unit and the operationdevice via transmitter/receivers, and the surveying instrument main unitcan be operated from the operation device furnished separately. Also,the present invention provides a surveying instrument, comprising asurveying instrument main unit which projects a measuring light to anobject to be measured and measures a position based on a reflectionlight from the object to be measured and an operation device, whereinthe surveying instrument main unit comprises a distance measuring unitfor emitting the measuring light and for measuring a distance, an imagepickup unit for acquiring an image, a reflection mirror rotatablymounted and used for directing the measuring light toward the object tobe measured, for directing the reflected light from the object to bemeasured toward a light receiving unit, and for directing the image in aprojecting direction toward the image pickup unit, detecting means fordetecting a rotating position of the reflection mirror, a control unitfor controlling at least the distance measuring unit, the image pickupunit and the rotating position of the reflection mirror, and a firsttransmitter/receiver for receiving an operation signal for operation viathe control unit and for transmitting an image data acquired by theimage pickup unit, and wherein the operation device comprises a displayunit and an operation unit to be operated according to programs, and asecond transmitter/receiver being enable to operate the surveyinginstrument main unit from the operation device, enable to display theimage data acquired by the image pickup unit, and capable to performcommunication to and from the first transmitter/receiver. Further, thepresent invention provides the surveying instrument as described above,wherein the instrument comprises a leveling unit for adjusting tilt andfor setting the surveying instrument main unit to a horizontal or avertical position, and the leveling unit can be controlled by theoperation device. Also, the present invention provides the surveyinginstrument as described above, wherein the operation device comprises anoperation unit to be operated according to programs, and a display unitfor displaying the image data, the programs are provided with a functionto indicate operation procedure for surveying operation to the displayunit, and the surveying instrument main unit is controlled according tothe displayed operating procedure. Further, the present inventionprovides the surveying instrument as described above, wherein the firstand the second transmitter/receivers transmit and receive data to andfrom each other, in which data for communication are established basedon a common protocol. Also, the present invention provides the surveyinginstrument as described above, wherein a distance measuring data and animage data with respect to the object to be measured are acquired fromtwo or more directions, and a 3-dimensional image of the object to bemeasured is composed based on the distance measuring data and the imagedata.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevation view of an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, and it is across-sectional elevation view when a reflection mirror is rotated.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a schematical drawing to explain the embodiment of the presentinvention in surveying operation.

FIG. 5 is a control block diagram of another embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view to explain an operation device of anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view of a conventional example.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Description will be given below on embodiments of the present inventionreferring to the drawings.

A surveying instrument 20 comprises a surveying instrument main unit 21,a leveling unit 59, and an operation device 67 removably mounted on amain unit case 22.

First, the surveying instrument main unit 21 will be described.

A recessed portion 23 is formed on an upper surface of the main unitcase 22. On the recessed portion 23, a hole 25 is formed so that aflange 24 is provided around it. A flanged hollow shaft 26 is mounted inthe flange 24 concentrically with the hole 25, and a rotating unit 27 isrotatably engaged on the flanged hollow shaft 26 via bearings 28. On therotating unit 27, a pattern ring 29 for an encoder is arrangedperpendicularly to a rotation shaft of the rotating unit 27. A detector30 is provided on an inner peripheral wall surface of the recessedportion 23 to face the pattern ring 29. The detector 30 and the patternring 29 make up together a horizontal angle encoder 31.

Inside the main unit case 22, an optical type tilt measuring unit 32 isarranged so as to oppose the pattern ring 29 on the opposite side of theflange 24 from the pattern ring 29. The tilt measuring unit 32 emits atilt detecting light to the pattern ring 29 through the window hole 33formed on the flange 24. The tilt measuring unit 32 has a free liquidsurface in it so that a relative angle between the free liquid surfaceand the pattern ring 29, i.e. a tilt angle of the pattern ring 29 withrespect to a horizontal line, can be detected through comparison of areflection light from the free liquid surface with a reflection lightfrom the pattern ring 29. The result of the detection at the tiltmeasuring unit 32 is inputted to a control unit 74 as to be describedlater.

A worm wheel 34 is engaged on an upper end of the rotating unit 27. Ahorizontal rotating motor 35 is arranged on an upper surface of the mainunit case 22, and a worm gear 36 mounted on an output shaft of thehorizontal rotating motor 35 is engaged with the worm wheel 34.

A pair of brackets 37 and 37 placed at positions opposite to each otherare erected on an upper surface of the rotating unit 27, and ahorizontal rotation shaft 38 is rotatably mounted between the brackets37 and 37. A pattern ring 39 of an elevation angle encoder 41 is fixedon one end of the horizontal rotation shaft 38, and a detector 40 tomatch the pattern ring 39 is provided on the rotating unit 27. A wormwheel 42 is engaged on the other end of the horizontal rotation shaft38, and a vertical rotating motor 43 is mounted on the upper surface ofthe rotating unit 27. A worm gear 44 engaged with an output shaft of thevertical rotating motor 43 is engaged with the worm wheel 42.

A reflection mirror 45 is fixed on the horizontal rotation shaft 38.

A body tube 46 is mounted on a lower end of the flanged hollow shaft 26,and the body tube 46 is coaxial with the flanged hollow shaft 26. Alonga center line of the body tube 46, there are provided from above thefollowing components: an objective lens 47, a small mirror 48, adichroic prism 49 for reflecting a light beam of a predeterminedwavelength range, and an image light receiving unit 51. As the imagelight receiving unit 51, a CCD sensor is used, for instance.

A condenser lens 52 and a light emitting unit 53 for image acquisitionare arranged along an optical axis of a reflection light from the smallmirror 48. A measuring light emitting unit 54 is placed on one sideopposing to the dichroic prism 49, and a measuring light detecting unit55 is disposed on the other side opposing to the dichroic prism 49.

The light emitting unit 53 for image acquisition and the image lightreceiving unit 51 make up together an image pickup unit 50. Themeasuring light emitting unit 54 and the measuring light detecting unit55 make up together a distance measuring unit 56.

Reference numeral 74 denotes a control unit comprising a power sourceunit such as a battery.

On the upper surface of the main unit case 22, there is provided a cover57, which watertightly covers the reflection mirror 45, the horizontalrotating motor 35, etc. The cover 57 is made of a transparent materialsuch as glass.

Next, description will be given on the leveling unit 59.

A pillar 61 is erected on a base 60. The pillar 61 has its tip designedin a spherical shape, and its tip is tiltably engaged with a recessformed on a lower surface of the main unit case 22. At positions ofother two vertexes of a triangle, which has its top vertex at a positionof the pillar 61, level adjusting screws 62 (one of them is not shown inthe figure) which are screwed in and penetrating through the bottomsurface of the main unit case 22 are disposed. On upper ends of thelevel adjusting screws 62, gears 63 are mounted. A level adjusting motor64 is arranged on the bottom surface of the main unit case 22, and apinion gear 65 is mounted on an output shaft of the level adjustingmotor 64. The pinion gear 65 is engaged with the gears 63. The leveladjusting motor 64 is driven and controlled by the control unit 74.

The operation device 67 comprises a transmitter/receiver 68 capable ofperforming data communication via radio with a transmitter/receiver 75,and, further, comprises an operation unit 69 and a display unit 70.

Now, description will be given on the control unit 74 referring to FIG.3.

The control unit 74 comprises the transmitter/receiver 75, an arithmeticunit (CPU) 76, a storage unit 77, an image data control processor 78, adistance measuring data control processor 79, an angle calculating unit81, a motor driving unit 82, etc. The storage unit 77 comprises aprogram necessary for automatic tracking of an object to be measured(reflection prism) 72, and a sequence program necessary for compensatingthe measuring route data from the position of the object to be measuredon the image distance measurement and angle measurement, and imageacquisition, and a program for displaying operation guidance to improveworking efficiency of a surveying operator.

The image data control processor 78 converts a signal obtained at theimage pickup unit 50 to a signal required such as image data and outputsit to the arithmetic unit 76. The distance measuring data controlprocessor 79 calculates a distance measuring data to the object to bemeasured 72 based on the signal obtained at the distance measuring unit56, and this is outputted to the arithmetic unit 76.

Based on the signals from the horizontal angle encoder 31 and from theelevation angle encoder 41, the angle calculating unit 81 calculates aprojecting direction of a measuring light, and the result of thecalculation is inputted to the arithmetic unit 76. Also, from the tiltmeasuring unit 32, vertical condition of a central axis of the body tube46, i.e. an optical axis 83, is inputted to the arithmetic unit 76.

The arithmetic unit 76 records the data from each of the image datacontrol processor 78 and the distance measuring data control processor79 in the storage unit 77, or the image data is associated with thedistance measuring data, and this is recorded in the storage unit 77.

Description will be given below on operation.

As shown in FIG. 4, the surveying instrument 20 is installed, forinstance, on a tripod 84 of about several meters in height, or it isinstalled on a known structure (not shown).

The operation device 67 can be freely attached to or detached from thesurveying instrument main unit 21. The surveying instrument 20 can beoperated with the operation device 67 mounted on the surveyinginstrument main unit 21.

As shown in FIG. 4, in case the surveying instrument 20 is installed ata place, to which the surveying operator cannot gain access, theoperation device 67 is detached from the surveying instrument main unit21, and it is operated by remote control operation.

The surveying instrument 20 is installed at a known point via the tripod84. When data such as measuring conditions are inputted by the operatingunit 69 of the operating device 67, a command signal is issued from thetransmitter/receiver 68, and it is received at the transmitter/receiver75.

The received signal is inputted to the arithmetic unit 76. Thearithmetic unit 76 starts a measurement program recorded in the storageunit 77.

When the measurement is started, the measurement program carries outleveling operation of the surveying instrument main unit 21. Levelingoperation is performed separately from the surveying operation so thatthe leveling operation can be carried out independently. Operationswitches (not shown) for the leveling operation are arranged on theoperation device 67. The conditions of the leveling operation aretransmitted from the transmitter/receiver 75, and the levelingconditions are displayed on the display unit 70.

When the leveling operation is started, the arithmetic unit 76 drivesand controls the level adjusting motor 64 via the motor driving unit 82based on the signal from the tilt measuring unit 32, and tilting of thesurveying instrument main unit 21 is corrected so that the optical axis83 is directed to the vertical line.

The image pickup unit 50 is driven via the image data control processor78. A measuring light is emitted from the measuring light emitting unit54. The measuring light is reflected by the dichroic prism 49 and isdirected toward the reflection mirror 45. The distance measuring unit 56is driven via the distance measuring data control processor 79. A lightfor image acquisition is emitted from the light emitting unit 53 forimage acquisition. It is reflected by the small mirror 48 and isdirected toward the reflection mirror 45.

In parallel to the above operation, the horizontal rotating motor 35 andthe vertical rotating motor 43 are driven via the motor driving unit 82,and the reflection mirror 45 is rotated horizontally and vertically. Thelight for image acquisition to track and measure the object to bemeasured 72 irradiated via the reflection mirror 45 is reflected by theobject to be measured 72. The light enters the image light receivingunit 51 via the reflection mirror 45.

In response to the horizontal rotation and vertical rotation of thereflection mirror 45, the image pickup unit 50 acquires the image. Basedon the image acquired from the image pickup unit 50, the image datacontrol processor 78 identifies the object to be measured 72. Then, theposition in the image is calculated, and this is inputted to thearithmetic unit 76. The arithmetic unit 76 calculates and determines thedirection of the object to be measured 72 from the position of theobject to be measured 72 in the image and from an elevation angle and ahorizontal angle acquired from the angle calculating unit 81 at themoment.

Based on the direction of the object to be measured 72 thus calculatedand determined, the horizontal rotating motor 35 and the verticalrotating motor 43 are driven, and the measuring light emitted from thelight emitting unit 53 for image acquisition is directed toward theobject to be measured 72 via the reflection mirror 45.

The reflected measuring light from the object to be measured 72 isreceived by the measuring light detecting unit 55. Based on a signalfrom the measuring light detecting unit 55, the distance measuring unit56 measures a distance to the object to be measured 72.

The measured distance is associated with the elevation angle, thehorizontal angle and the image data and it is recorded in the storageunit 77. Also, it is sent to the operation device 67 via thetransmitter/receiver 75. On the display unit 70, the distance measuringdata such as the measured distance, the elevation angle, the horizontalangle, etc. are displayed together with an image of the surroundingsincluding the object to be measured 72.

When it is wanted to acquire an image in wider range around the objectto be measured 72, the reflection mirror 45 is rotated by horizontalrotation and vertical rotation in the required range of angle around theobject to be measured 72. Each time the direction of the reflectionmirror 45 is changed by a predetermined angle, an image is acquired bythe image pickup unit 50, and the image is turned to data by the imagedata control processor 78. The horizontal angle and the elevation angleat the time of image acquisition are detected via the horizontal angleencoder 31, the elevation angle encoder 41, and the angle calculatingunit 81. The detected horizontal angle and elevation angle areassociated with the acquired image data, and they are recorded in thestorage unit 77.

By composing the acquired image data, an image in wider range can beobtained.

Next, the tripod 84 is moved to another known point to change theposition of the surveying instrument 20. Surveying operation isperformed on the object to be measured 72 from a different direction,and an image data of the surroundings including the object to bemeasured 72 is acquired with respect to the object to be measured 72.

Where there are two or more objects to be measured 72, the sameprocedure is performed to acquire the distance measuring data and theimage data one after another.

When the distance measuring data and the image data are acquired of theobject to be measured 72 from two directions and the data are composed,a 3-dimensional image can be obtained.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show another embodiment of the invention. In thefigures, the same component as shown in FIG. 3 is referred by the samesymbol, and detailed description is not given here.

In this another embodiment, the surveying instrument main unit 21 isoperated by a general-purpose operation device 85 instead of theoperation device 67. In this case, the operation device 67 may be fixedon the surveying instrument main unit 21 or it may not be used.

As the operation device 85, a device such as a notebook-sized personalcomputer may be used, which comprises a display unit 86, an operationunit 87, and a storage unit 88. Or, a smaller-size PDA, etc. may beused. An operation software 91 for operating the surveying instrument 20is stored in the storage unit 88 such as a hard disk of the operationdevice 85. A transmitter/receiver 89, for instance, a card-typetransmitter/receiver 89, is inserted in a card slot of thenotebook-sized personal computer. The operation software 91 hasfunctions to process the data transmitted from the surveying instrument20 and to display the data on the display unit 86. The operationsoftware 91 is provided with a function of operation guidance to improveworking efficiency of the surveying operator and displays the details ofnecessary operation along with the flow of operation.

When the operation software 91 is started from the operation unit 87 andthe measuring conditions, etc. are inputted, a command signal is issuedfrom the transmitter/receiver 89, and the command signal is received bythe transmitter/receiver 75.

The received signal is inputted to the arithmetic unit 76, and thearithmetic unit 76 starts the measurement program recorded in thestorage unit 77.

When the measurement is started, the leveling of the surveyinginstrument main unit 21 is performed. Then, the distance measuring dataand the image data are acquired in the same manner as given above. Thedistance measuring data and the image data thus acquired are transmittedfrom the transmitter/receiver 75 and are received by thetransmitter/receiver 89 and are incorporated in the operation device 85.For the transmission and receiving between the transmitter/receiver 75and the transmitter/receiver 89, a digital signal is used, which has thedata for communication established based on a common protocol.

When the general-purpose operation device 85 is used as the operationdevice, a large amount of data can be recorded if the measured distancedata and the image data are stored in the storage unit 88 on the side ofthe operation device 85. Further, it is possible to perform the dataprocessing such as image composite in parallel with the surveyingoperation, and this contributes to the higher working efficiency.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention provides a surveyinginstrument, comprising a surveying instrument main unit which projects ameasuring light to an object to be measured and measures a positionbased on a reflection light from the object to be measured and anoperation device which is removably attached on the surveying instrumentmain unit, wherein the surveying instrument main unit comprises adistance measuring unit for emitting the measuring light and formeasuring a distance, an image pickup unit for acquiring an image, areflection mirror rotatably mounted and used for directing the measuringlight toward the object to be measured, for directing the reflectedlight from the object to be measured toward a light receiving unit, andfor directing the image in a projecting direction toward the imagepickup unit, a detecting means for detecting a rotating position of thereflection mirror, and a control unit for controlling at least thedistance measuring unit, the image pickup unit and the rotating positionof the reflection mirror, and wherein the operation device comprises adisplay unit for displaying the image acquired by the image pickup unit.As a result, it is possible to acquire a continuous image data in widerrange and to compose a 3-dimensional image by acquiring image data ofthe object to be measured from two or more directions, and highmaneuverability and high working efficiency are secured.

1. A surveying instrument, comprising a surveying instrument main unitwhich projects a measuring light to an object to be measured andmeasures a position based on a reflection light from the object to bemeasured and an operation device which is removably attached on thesurveying instrument main unit, wherein said surveying instrument mainunit comprises a distance measuring unit for emitting the measuringlight and for measuring a distance, an image pickup unit for acquiringan image, a reflection mirror rotatably mounted and used for directingthe measuring light toward the object to be measured, for directing thereflected light from the object to be measured toward a light receivingunit, and for directing the image in a projecting direction toward saidimage pickup unit, a detecting means for detecting a rotating positionof said reflection mirror, and a control unit for controlling at leastsaid distance measuring unit, said image pickup unit and the rotatingposition of said reflection mirror, and wherein said operation devicecomprises a display unit for displaying the image acquired by said imagepickup unit.
 2. A surveying instrument according to claim 1, whereinthere is provided a leveling unit for adjusting tilt and for settingsaid surveying instrument main unit to a horizontal or a verticalposition, and said operation device comprises operation switches foroperating said leveling unit.
 3. A surveying instrument according toclaim 1, wherein radio communication can be performed between saidsurveying instrument main unit and said operation device viatransmitter/receivers, and said surveying instrument main unit can beoperated from said operation device furnished separately.
 4. A surveyinginstrument, comprising a surveying instrument main unit which projects ameasuring light to an object to be measured and measures a positionbased on a reflection light from the object to be measured and anoperation device, wherein said surveying instrument main unit comprisesa distance measuring unit for emitting the measuring light and formeasuring a distance, an image pickup unit for acquiring an image, areflection mirror rotatably mounted and used for directing the measuringlight toward the object to be measured, for directing the reflectedlight from the object to be measured toward a light receiving unit, andfor directing the image in a projecting direction toward said imagepickup unit, a detecting means for detecting a rotating position of saidreflection mirror, a control unit for controlling at least said distancemeasuring unit, said image pickup unit and the rotating position of saidreflection mirror, and a first transmitter/receiver for receiving anoperation signal for operation via said control unit and fortransmitting an image data acquired by said image pickup unit, andwherein said operation device comprises a display unit and an operationunit to be operated according to programs, and a secondtransmitter/receiver being enable to operate said surveying instrumentmain unit from the operation device, enable to display the image dataacquired by said image pickup unit, and capable to perform communicationto and from said first transmitter/receiver.
 5. A surveying instrumentaccording to claim 4, wherein said instrument comprises a leveling unitfor adjusting tilt and for setting said surveying instrument main unitto a horizontal or a vertical position, and said leveling unit can becontrolled by said operation device.
 6. A surveying instrument accordingto claim 4, wherein said operation device comprises an operation unit tobe operated according to programs, and a display unit for displaying theimage data, said programs are provided with a function to indicateoperation procedure for surveying operation to said display unit, andsaid surveying instrument main unit is controlled according to thedisplayed operating procedure.
 7. A surveying instrument according toclaim 4, wherein said first and said second transmitter/receiverstransmit and receive data to and from each other, in which data forcommunication are established based on a common protocol.
 8. A surveyinginstrument according to claim 1 or 4, wherein a distance measuring dataand an image data with respect to the object to be measured are acquiredfrom two or more directions, and a 3-dimensional image of the object tobe measured is composed based on the distance measuring data and theimage data.